Advice re going self employed

[cols42]

Hi all, I registered here as I've got a few questions and need some advice.

My situation is that I'm 35 years old, and after deciding on a career change (I used to work in finance) I took a course and I am now qualified to level three of the C&G 2330 Electrical Installations to the 17th Edition (finished my course last July). My original plan was to get working in a firm and from there get my 2391 and NVQ done, then get my full scope part P and eventually go self employed.

However, I'm finding it very difficult to get work, probably due to lack of experience.

I was thinking of just going for it and going self employed asap, however I need to be able to do this legally! My understanding is that part P is required in order to be able to sign your own work off, and to get part P you need the 2391 as well as the 2330. Is this correct?

Getting the part P for me seems a bit chicken and egg, as to get the part P I would need to be working somewhere (so they can come out and check my work).

So I was thinking I could go into business with my Dad - if the two of us went self employed, if my Dad got the 2391 test and inspection qualification, would this mean that he could test & inspect and sign my work off? Also, as my Dad isn't qualified, if I got the 2391 and he did work under my supervision, would I be able to test / inspect and sign that work off?

If possible, that would be the quickest route for me to get working in my chosen career - I could then get my full scope part P done whilst working with my Dad.

I'm a bit confused about what is required in order to go self employed - obviously the main thing is to be able to test and inspect the work that it complies with regulations and to sign that off - my understanding is that part P is required for that if signing your own work off (but I'm not sure what exactly is required for that), but also that 2391 is required to sign someone else's work off - if that's correct my plan of working with my Dad seems ok but I just need to check that it's ok before going forward and researching business grants and doing a business plan etc...

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Cols​

 

[johnboy6083]

its all about experience mate. just because you are qualified it doesnt mean that you are competant to carry out all work. bear in mind that if you become legitamately self employed, then you will be responsibl;e for the design of your work, as well as installation. im not trying to put you off mate, but its a big responsibiltiy

 

[Ponty Massive]

You don't need 2391 to become part P. Don't even think you need the 17th (possibly after 1 year). You just need to be competent. You can do your first job by informing your LABC of the work and paying a fee for them to assess it. You can then use this job as part of your Part P assessment.

Hope this helps

Ponty

 

[cols42]

Thanks johnboy6083, I appreciate that - I'd certainly not take on anything I didn't feel comfortable with and would also make sure that any work I did was compliant to the regs etc. Also I'd want to sure that it was all tested and inspected etc.

Ponty Massive; I wasn't aware of that, thanks - all the Part P schemes I've looked at have had requirements of courses that they like you to have, I assume then that's just what they prefer rather than what is actually required...

Basically my situation is that I'm unemployed, and I have my 17th Edition 2330 qualification (although it isn't the full NVQ, it's just the level 3 C&G 2330; I wasn't employed when I did my course so couldn't do the NVQ work diary etc)...

I want to eventually go self employed but my original plan was to get working in a firm first, then whilst there I could get my 2391 / full scope Part P and then go self employed in a few years.

However with the way things are at the moment, not being able to get work, I thought why not go for it and go self employed asap. I feel I am competent in pretty much most domestic situations and that's the field I'd be looking at if going self employed.

But I'm not sure how to get there. I could in theory go and do work now but the customer would need to contact the local building authority to get it tested and inspected afterwards themselves - obviously this isn't a great way to go about things, not attractive for the customer!

So if I was a one man band I would need Part P in order to sign off my own work. But to get that would mean I'd need to be working already in order for there to be work for them to come and inspect.

However, my thought was if I worked with my Dad (he's retired but bored), if one of us had the 2391, would that mean that person could sign the other person's work off, test and inspect it and issue the forms etc, thus complying with the regs and the law etc?

 

[J@mes]

Best way to do your first job is to buy a new consumer unit for your own house, fit it, test it and then use that as your test piece for your Part P registration. No worrying your customers then!

Pretty sure you can do this with elecsa, they being the firm that take on newly started businesses, unlike NICEIC who want you to have been running for a year before applying!

 

[High Tower]

Best way to do your first job is to buy a new consumer unit for your own house, fit it, test it and then use that as your test piece for your Part P registration. No worrying your customers then!

Pretty sure you can do this with elecsa, they being the firm that take on newly started businesses, unlike NICEIC who want you to have been running for a year before applying!

I asked the NICEIC bod at the show about this and he said this is not the case now, I can only assume they were loosing out on too much revenue so changed their mind

 

[SDELEC]

you dont need 2391 to inspect and test off your work, try the 2392 which is for initial inspection and verification of new work. I did the part p before any of the other certs.

 

[johnboy6083]

2392 is a pre course for the 2391, because a lot of people were/are failing the 2391. as far as im aware, the 2391 is more in depth than the 2392, but i happy to be corrected.

john

 

[dullspark]

HI all.

first post so please be gentle. can i just confirm i think your all pretty much right; ive just been through much the same process. im taking my level 3 2330 now but ive just done my part p and 17th.

You dont need any previous qualifications at all to do your part p.however if your new to electrics they will make you do a 5 day intro course.

ive just had my elecsa assesment and if you register with them you can do a db change at your own home and they will use it as evidence of your work. i would ring them first just to let them know though. the only thing they do require is that you get your 17th within twelve months of registration.

johnboy i think your right about the 2392.the instructors on my part p course suggested its a watered down version of the 2391 for that reason, so many people were failing the 2391. however the instructors didnt rate it at all, they suggested biting the bullet,studying hard and go straight for the 2391.

 

[SDELEC]

Dullspark, where did you do your part p course?

 

[bradford108]

Congratulations, Cols, for getting certified and for bravely shifting careers. My advice is to get some experience under your belt first. You might be able to get that more easily from family and friends. Keep asking for referrals and build your experience and portfolio from there.

 

[dullspark]

hi sdelec.

Able skills in dartford.